Johannesburg Residents Claim Serial Arsonist Is Torching Upmarket Northern Suburbs Homes, Police Deny It
- A serial arsonist is believed to be targeting upmarket homes in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg
- Police in the area have debunked these claims, saying that there have only been three reported house fires since last January
- A woman who spoke about an incident that occurred at her home said she has video footage of the arsonist
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JOHANNESBURG - Residents of upscale areas in Johannesburg believe that a serial arsonist is targeting homes in Hyde Park, Dunkeld and Illovo; however, police are not convinced.
The suspect apparently breaks into homes, enjoys food and alcohol that’s available and defecates before setting the house alight.
Source: UGC
In a video on Facebook posted on the page Andre Snyman eblockwatch, a woman shared that she has CCTV footage of the person who set her home alight. After six months, her home has still not been restored to its original state. She said the person did not steal anything and that three fires were set in her bedroom, bathroom and dressing room.
“We need to catch this guy. Is it going to take somebody to die before anything happens?”
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However, in an interview with TimesLIVE, Bramley Police Station Commander Owen King said he is not aware of an arsonist in the suburbs. He added that since early last year, police received only three reports of house fires in Illovo, Hyde Park and Marlborough Gardens.
@ALETTAHA commented:
“Can you imagine why the cops are sweeping this under the carpet?”
Belinda Wheeler Duncan shared:
“He’s doing it to hurt or spite the people whose nice homes he’s destroying.”
Brenda Deklerk posted:
“Hate is the reason… Hate.”
Jacqueline Fox commented:
“I am the owner from Hume Road whose house was torched this week. This guy needs to be stopped in his tracks. He is extremely dangerous and destroyed everything in the upstairs part of the house. I think he stole and took out the valuables beforehand. Besides traumatising us he turned my place into a Ukrainian battle scene, looks like Mario Pul. He turned a very beautiful home into a junkyard. He needs to be caught.”
Benoni creche fire: Arsonist dies in hospital after setting a woman on fire during an argument
Briefly News also reported in September, a man set a woman's car alight outside a creche in Benoni. The assailant had been in hospital since the incident and has now passed away.
The man, who was 40 years old, was charged with malicious property damage and murder. He died after two months in hospital. The victim also passed away due to the nature and extent of her injuries. She was a 27-year-old mother of a four-year-old child.
Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, a police spokesperson, confirmed the arsonist's death, which apparently took place at the Tambo Memorial Hospital, News24 reports.
Source: Briefly News
